Hey all,

Nice forum you have here!

I am waiting for my new HCH. The dealer told me that I will void the warranty if I change the oil myself. Yet, a lot of people here seem to be doing their own oil changes. What gives? Is the dealer being truthful, or is the dealer being a car salesperson?

I appreciate any responses!

Edit - Sorry about the mis-leading subject; seems I can't change it. Should've read something like "Voided warranty if non-dealer changes oil?"

 

It's the latter. They're shovelling the bull. Keep receipts and notes if you do it yourself, just in case there is an argument.

 

Hi nehch2, welcome to GH !!

It all depends on WHO at the dealership gave you this bad information:

• If it was a salesperson - Just ignore it and speak to the front-desk service personnel. They are the ones who supposed to know.
• If it was someone from the service department, then consider taking your car to another dealership for its regular maintenance and servicing. This information is wrong and it speaks poorly of the SD.

Now, what will happen for people who NEVER take their car into the dealership is that the warranty fulfillment processes may be challenged if the vehicle was not serviced adequately in order to avoid a failure typically covered by the warranty (software updates and silent recalls are included in this).
However, if you keep the receipts and logs of all the maintenance you did then you should be just fine.

Cheers;

MSantos

 

I believe federal law actually requires that manufacturers honor warranties when regular maintenance is performed by non-dealers. The catch is that you have to have documentation of everything. Receipts, logs, etc.

I had an engine self-destruct on a Saturn less than 500 miles to the warranty expiration. I had to prove that the oil had been changed at reasonable intervals for the entire life of the car. It took about two weeks to get everything settled, but I ended up getting the entire engine replaced with no out of pocket expenses.

 

Thanks all for the replies!

msantos,

It was the sales manager who told me that the oil had to be changed at the dealership or the warranty would be voided.

It was an interesting experience. I have worked with cars in the past, and even managed a Chevy dealers body-shop, but I've never bought a new car before. When I walked into the dealership and told the salesperson I wanted a Civic Hybrid, he said they didn't have any and he seemed perfectly happy to let me leave. I actually had to "sell" my desire for a new car to them.

Understandably, Hybrids are getting popular these days. Maybe most people want a car the day they go into the dealership. I knew I'd have to wait, and I knew I'd be paying a premium.

Looking forward to my first new car though!

 

nehch2:

This time I REALLY want to be wrong here, but things don't look too good at that dealership. In other words, it does not appear to be the well run ship that it needs to be for you to be happy in the long run.

If you have no other dealership in the vicinity then it may be worth to visit them again, and get the sales manager in the same room with the service department manager (or a service adviser) and have him repeat the same baloney to you again.

If they support each other in that assertion, then don't even think of servicing your car there because if they have it so wrong on this simple issue, just imagine what and badly they will do if you ever need them to do their job for real?

Cheers;

MSantos

 

The whole reason I selected this dealership is because I have an out-of-warranty 2003 Accord whose transmission recently failed. This dealership, in concert with Honda of course, gave us a new transmission free of charge, and we just paid for the install ($1000).

Thanks for your advice. I guess I'll just wait for the car to come in and see what happens, with the thought that I could just walk away from the deal if they try putting this over on me again.

 

The "Honda delaer has to change it" line is pure BS....

What they should have told you is that if you ARE going to change it on your own...for starters wait until the maintenance minder light comes on to do it...especially for the First change....(which will probably not be for somewhere between 6 and 8k miles)

Also, in your owners manual...it specifically outlines how to reset the Maintenace Minder light if you are going to change the oil yourself.

As a little bonus...actual "Honda" Motor Oil is a Synthetic Blend made by Mobil 1....so try to find something along the same lines if you are doing the work yourself....if anyone knows what kind of oil to use...its Honda.

 

Do you have actual documentation of this? Something of a 'Holy Grail' around here, given that finding M1 0W-20 is a royal PITA if there isn't a NAPA or Wal*Mart in your vicinity, but nobody's been able to deliver the goods thus far.

 

Chris are you having trouble finding Mobil1 0W-20? I'm in Columbus too. Advance Auto parts sells it.

They were just running a deal for 5qt M1 + a Mobile oil filter for $26. I picked up 10 qts and 2 filters. I think the deal ended on the 1st of June, but they do carry the oil.